ADRIAN, Mich. — Congressman Mark Schauer kicked off his re-election campaign Thursday in Adrian with a “Made in America” tour emphasizing trade issues.

Schauer, D-Battle Creek, faces former congressman Tim Walberg of Tipton, whom Schauer beat two years ago, in the November election for the 7th Congressional District seat.

Between 40 and 50 people crowded between washers and dryers at the Fabricare cleaners and laundry on North Main Street to hear Schauer speak and answer questions. The gathering originally had been scheduled for the adjoining Biggby Coffee shop, but the number of people made it necessary to move it to the laundry, which has the same owners.

Most of the audience appeared to be Schauer supporters, though a few members of the audience attempted to interject comments as Schauer was speaking, and at least one person carried a sign calling for smaller government.

In his opening remarks, Schauer sounded what appears to be the Democratic campaign theme for the upcoming election: that George Bush’s policies wrecked the economy and Republicans want to go back to those policies while Democrats have been laying the foundation for a recovery.

“(The economy) went off the cliff because of the economic policies of Tim Walberg and George Bush, and they want to go back,” Schauer said.

Schauer accused Walberg of supporting tax loopholes that allow companies to ship jobs overseas. In an e-mail to the Telegram after Schauer’s appearance, Schauer aide Zack Pohl named the Trade Promotion Authority Extension and Enhancement Act of 2007, co-sponsored by Walberg, as an example.

The act allows the president to sign trade agreements with countries whose trade policies restrict U.S. trade.

Pohl also cited an Americans for Tax Reform pledge signed by Walberg that opposed new taxes but, according to Pohl, also demands opposition to a law closing some tax loopholes that create incentives to move jobs overseas.

Schauer took special aim at what he said are unfair trade practices by China, such as China’s refusal to sign an agreement that would require it to open its doors to American bidders when the Chinese government makes purchases, just as the American government opens its doors to Chinese bidders when the American government makes purchases.

As he has in the past, Schauer carried a U.S. Census cap, bought by the government for census workers, that was made in China.

“What makes me mad is when I found out that your tax dollars are creating jobs in China,” he said.

Schauer has introduced a bill in Congress that would require U.S. government purchases from China be limited to the dollar amount that the Chinese government buys from American companies.

Schauer said he did not know off-hand the amount of U.S. government purchases from China, but that the amount of Chinese government purchases from U.S. companies is “zero.”

Asked about the possible benefit to taxpayers when the government takes low bids on products from China, Schauer said: “I don’t think there is a short- or long-term benefit to allowing Chinese companies to come in and take our jobs.”

After the event, Schauer said any number of companies in the 7th District could have made the census caps and key chains that the government bought from China. He also said that his proposed bill would benefit American companies, such as a wind power company in Eaton County, in instances such as a much-reported case where federal economic stimulus funds were used to buy wind power equipment from China.

A request to Walberg’s campaign manager to get Walberg’s position on Schauer’s bill did not receive an answer Thursday afternoon.

Answering questions from the audience, Schauer defended the health care reform bill, which he voted for.

“The biggest part of that bill is health insurance reform,” he said. He cited provisions in the bill that immediately bar insurance companies from refusing to cover children because of pre-existing conditions and require insurance companies to allow young adults to stay on their parents’ policies until age 26.

Walberg has said he will work to repeal the health care bill.

Schauer criticized the Troubled Assets Relief Program, often referred to as the Wall Street bailout, and said he voted against release of the second half of those funds in early 2009. The initial bill was passed in late 2008, before Schauer was in Congress.

Walberg voted against the initial TARP bill.

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